MANUEL CRUZ

Abingdon, MD

253-***-****

ad4al8@r.postjobfree.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuel-cruz-a93a80a1

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Operations Project Management Director and Military Veteran with a TS/SCI Security Clearance and 20 years of proven experience in zero-defect projects, strategic planning, and program management professional with the ability to provide decisive leadership, exemplary management, and informed guidance. Possess a comprehensive background in classroom instruction, business acumen, leadership development, workflow optimization, customer relationship management, operational planning, team building, and resources management. Adept at analyzing organizational needs, implementing process improvement measures, conflict resolution, and translating strategic goals into achievable team tasks. Career supported by a Master of Science in Administration, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Project Management Certification.

•Advanced Strategic Planning

•Executive Level Advisor

•Data Trend Analysis

•Bilingual Spanish

•Advance Staff Development

•Policies and Procedures

•Stakeholder Engagement

•Budget Management

•Resource Allocation

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

MAG Aerospace – Fairfax, VA Feb 2023 – Present

Program Manager

•Organize monthly PMO meetings, maintaining monthly program KPIs and metrics, ensuring all reported staff deliverables are accurate, and maintaining projects.

•Assessing project issues, developing resolutions to meet productivity, quality, and client satisfaction goals and objectives will be a top priority.

•Review the status of projects and budgets, manage schedules, and prepare status reports.

•Develop mechanisms for monitoring project progress and for intervention and problem solving with project managers, line managers, and clients.

•Management and accountability of assigned personnel (i.e., timecard, annual assessment, travel requisition, etc.).

•Identify potential growth opportunities within assigned projects.

•Conduct schedule management including task/activity definition and sequencing, resource estimating, task duration estimating schedule development, and schedule control activities.

•Perform management consisting of planning, contracts execution, evaluation of employees, selecting subcontractor(s) and managing subcontract

•Provide overall leadership and guidance for all Contractor personnel

•Develop and execute project plans and conduct integrated change control activities

•Manage project scope to include project initiation, scope planning, scope definition and scope change control activities

•Conduct cost management to include resource planning, cost estimating, budgeting and cost control activities

•Support organizational planning, project team acquisition, and staff development activities

•Meet with customer and contractor personnel to formulate and review tasks plans and deliverables

•Provide support in preparing briefing packages for presentation to high level leadership as required

•Work closely with COR on program issues

•Manage all contractor personnel assigned to the contract to ensure that all are performing appropriately.

•Review program CDRL documents for consistency of schedules, compliance, and financial document requirements

•Coordinate with affected subordinate PMs on contractor personnel

•Lead and participate in IPT's

•Evaluate and balance anticipated budget expectations

Metronome – Fairfax, VA Sep 2022 – Feb 2023

Executive Officer

•Supported those National Geospatial Agency (NGA) offices at the Directorate, Group or Office organizational level having Senior Executive Service (SES), Defense Intelligence Senior Leaders (DISL) leadership, and/or Flag Officer.

•Responsible for anticipating administrative requirements to proactively support office leadership with day-to-day business rhythms that involve a wide range of tasks; maintain a flexible workstyle that adapts to dynamic office tempos and changing priorities.

•Maintained a working level understanding of the NGA organization and its corporate business rhythms to effectively execute administrative requirements for the office. This includes reading, understanding, and applying applicable Intelligence Community (IC), Department of Defense (DoD) and NGA policies, instructions, regulations, and guidance.

•Performed receptionist duties such as: greeting, receiving, and assisting office visitors, to include escorting to meeting place, upon entrance/exit of the facility, or as required; answering phone calls for the purpose of recording messages, transferring calls, assisting with caller inquiries, coordinating office agendas and activities; etc.

•Operated a computer, calculator, copier/scanner, and other common office equipment. This includes the ability to use standard office equipment and Microsoft Office 365 software applications to the degree expected at each labor category.

•Process mail to include retrieval, opening (as required), inspecting, distributing, and picking-up for mailroom delivery.

•Read publications, regulations, directives, instructions, and guidance, and take action or refer those that are important to office leadership, management and/or staff.

•Establishes and maintains both hardcopy and computer-based filing systems, to include performing routine filing of various office data/record files.

•Prepares, reviews and/or edit correspondences such as form letters, reports, tables, spreadsheets, and other printed material.

•Copied and scanned office documents, files, records, etc. Some tasks may include either performing the copy/scanning operation or assisting with the processing through NGA rapid reproduction.

•Assisted with the preparation of materials needed for conferences, correspondence, appointments, travel, meetings, telephone calls, etc.

•Administratively supported the designated Government Hand Receipt Holder (HRH). This does not mean becoming the HRH because this is considered an inherent Government function.

•Managed office calendars to support planning and coordination of office events, functions, meetings, work requirements and other noteworthy calendar topics.

•Performed data entry and maintenance of stored data/records in established databases, spreadsheets and other electronic data/record tracking and repository systems.

•Assisted with meeting agendas, arranging meet-me numbers and conference room schedules, coordinating meeting material and pantry items, taking meeting notes and producing a post-meeting report for approval and distribution, tracking meeting action items for disposition, etc.

•Supported creation of Staff Summary Sheets (SSS) and staffing of documents for review and/or signatures.

•Learned and maintained a working knowledge of the Intelligence Community (IC) and specifically for those IC partners the office may interact with the most. This may include implementing administrative workflows, procedures, and guidelines to achieve a smooth exchange of information and coordination of mission requirements.

•Independently provided professional and responsive secretarial support to leadership personnel and staff in support of organizational mission requirements. This includes executing a broad range of secretarial responsibilities with some tasks occurring routinely and/or on an “ad-hoc” basis per real-time needs of the office.

•Independently managed office schedules and calendars to administratively support timely planning, coordination, execution, and completion of business rhythms, corporate requirements, and events (i.e., meetings, conferences, travel, etc.).

•Independently applied mature and objective judgment to determine the best approach and course of action to take in both routine and non-routine administrative situations. Accurately interprets and adapts guidelines, including unwritten policies, precedents and practices that are not always completely applicable to a changing situation.

•Assisted senior leadership personnel and its staff on a broad range of administrative requirements. This includes serving as focal point for coordinating, consolidating, reviewing, managing information, and aiding concerning office administrative requirements in concert with the designated Government Chief of Staff (CoS), Executive Officer and other staff personnel.

•Proactively anticipated and kept leadership and/or staff apprised of high priority issues, requirements, and developments as it relates to office business and administrative activities.

•Performed administrative activities to facilitate the planning, coordinating, and executing of corporate organizational functions (e.g., events, town halls, meetings, conferences, and other official gatherings) the office may host, support and/or participate.

•Supported office discussions regarding the organization’s administrative business rhythms and contribute recommendations as deemed appropriate. Specifically notifies office leadership and management on the administrative implications of additions, deletions, or changes to the varied functions of the organization.

•Produced draft and/or final office correspondence or documents for senior leadership’s consideration and signature. Reviews and provides suggested edits to office correspondence and documents.

•Prepared specials or one-time reports, summaries, or replies to inquiries, selecting relevant information from a variety of sources such as reports, documents, correspondence, and other offices, etc. under general directives.

•Created workbooks (e.g., read-ahead, staffing, continuity, standard operating procedures) for leadership planning and/or to support execution of leadership responsibilities and office administrative business rhythms.

•Supported office with the development of guidance, procedures and/or policies relative to facilitating administrative activities of the organization. These functions may include training/travel budgets, suspense systems, space planning, personnel management, record management, logistics support, asset tracking, etc.

•Performed basic research in support of reports and other administrative requirements.

•Supported the creation of office briefings either as the one creating or reviewing the briefing content and format.

•Provided support to leadership and staff on the organization’s administrative business rhythms and requirements to facilitate effective management. Specifically advise on the administrative implications of additions, deletions, or changes to the varied functions of the organization.

Assists executive officers in subordinate offices on new procedures, request information from subordinate office for periodic or special conferences, reports, inquiries, etc.

Metronome – Fairfax, VA May 2022 – Aug 2022

Business Analyst

•Provided business and systems analysis support to identify, define, interpret, and clarify scope and requirements in terms of systems, systems-to-systems transactions, data integration and business processes.

•Elicited and documented requirements using interviews of technical engineering teams and operational business personnel, document analysis (technical systems documentation and user documents), surveys, use cases, workshops, scenarios, business analysis, task, and workflow analysis.

•Own the creation of project artifacts for the client’s Systems Development Methodology, Agile Methodology and/or other team deliverables. Use client tools (Confluence, Jira) and follow client processes (e.g., SAFE Agile) for management of artifacts.

• Conducted business process stakeholder analysis to ensure all who are impacted are involved and engaged in process and requirement documentation development.

•Understood and help the customer create business use cases by capturing high-level requirements for current and future needs associated with current and emerging mission.

•Created workflow process maps and functional requirements documentation (FRD).

•Validated requirements by cross-referencing them with other stakeholders and maximize adoption. Obtained consensus against the requirements prior to creation of process maps, use cases, and FRD documentation.

•Gathered requirements from the key stakeholders by using requirement elicitation techniques like brainstorming, requirement workshops, focus groups, and others.

•Engaged with working groups to refine and document processes and process flow descriptions) with the goal of ensuring procedures are consistent with clear roles and functions to support non-technical implementation and effective technical requirement overlays.

•Analyzed and interpreted requirements for their viability against the business objective.

•Gathered and documented requirements and identify procedural alternatives with process mapping and to include addition of new value-add steps, removing low-value/bottlenecks for the stakeholders to streamline operations.

•Developed and maintained a comprehensive knowledge of systems used by business partners to make recommendations for solutions that focus on business need.

•Partnered with customer-designated development resources throughout development and acceptance testing to aid in solution verification, error identification, and getting early feedback regarding the user interface of the output deliverable.

•Worked closely, collaboratively and communicate effectively with all members of the project team including government and contractors.

•Performed additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Frontier – Vienna, VA Mar 2020 – Sep 2021

Sr. Manager/Consultant

Managed the Enterprise Information Technology as a Service (EITaaS). Under this IT transformation initiative, Air force is launching ServiceNow to modernize its capability in support of enterprise services across eight AF bases to service Airmen and Guardians. Oversaw the technical and functional maturity of the current instance of ServiceNow deployed through EUS RRE. Managed the components of ServiceNow and discover the maturity of the "as is" system. Provided the client an understanding of the current state and recommended initiatives for the future state. Assessed the IT capabilities and recommended a list of actions for the immediate and long-term strategy to keep pace with rapidly changing technology providing a more efficient user experience. Managed the 21st Century Portal and portfolio providing the customer updates of the platform performance.

•Develops, seeks approval for and maintains a project plan in accordance with industry standards, guidelines, and practices.

•Manages the project SOW and adheres to project change control processes.

•Builds and maintains relationships with stakeholders and agency personnel.

•Directs work planning and scheduling for project activities.

•Tracks and manages project progress against the project plan.

•Serves as the primary point of contact for all project-related issues and resolution of issues.

•Facilitates and/or manages procurement activities associated with a project.

•Maintains up-to-date project financials.

•Identifies and manages project risks, develops risk mitigation strategies, and tracks risk resolution to closure.

•Ensures project compliance with standards and procedures.

DSA Inc. – Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD May 2019 – Mar 2020

Consortium Support Representative Project Manager

As the Consortium Support Representative (CSR) duties included technical liaison, project management, scheduling, and sustaining support to information workers who use a portfolio of business capabilities including Microsoft SharePoint, MIRARS, PPMT and Office 365. Responsible for conducting stakeholder meetings, documentation of business requirements, coordinating with technical developers to build solutions, conducting business analysis of technical solutions to meet stakeholder requirements. Additionally, assisting with development, testing, instructional documentation, supporting educate and inform campaigns, and process improvement to continually improve user experience. Supported the organization's SharePoint 2019 operations and migration to SharePoint Online.

•Provides subject matter expertise across a wide variety of technical, operational, and functional disciplines in support of the U.S Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC).

•Provides Business Analyst support for the rebranding of websites using requirements and user stories.

•Creates awareness of MilTech’s portfolio offerings to include baseline and above baseline services.

•Supports organizations in communicating MilTech Consortium baseline offerings to their user base.

•Ushers projects through the MiltTech Solution development Lifecycle from inception through closeout.

•Provides reach back to MilTech’s technical and infrastructure teams.

•Coordinates value added services such as Training, Communications and Educate & Inform initiatives.

•Works with customers on requirements development and documentation.

•Enters service request in support of customer requirements and monitor progress.

•Promotes cross collaboration with other Consortium partners.

•On demand and surge support for above baseline special projects (Strategic Planning, Knowledge Management, Development, etc.)

•Engages with the Army, DoD, and vendor communities to promote awareness of new capabilities and technology trends. Such as milSuite, SharePoint, Salesforce, Modernization Application and Data Environment (MADE), etc.

•Provides IT project management support on organizational efforts.

•Defined and implemented schedule configuration management processes and procedures.

•Created IMS project documentation based on current and future Integration Division acquisition processes, contractor generated schedules, IPTs, and ongoing ONS efforts including all program office functional areas (i.e., Budget, Contracting, Test and Evaluation, Logistics, Systems Engineering, Cybersecurity).

•Received input and generated an overall Integration Division IMS that will be tracked at the management level desired by the customer.

•Generated overall Risk Management Plan that will be utilized to integrate risk with schedule; use program risks in overall IMS for risk mitigation purposes.

•Developed and maintained Risk Management Plan.

•Lead discussions to collect risk information from technical leads, project team, and other stakeholders.

•Conducted risk identification sessions.

•Maintained risk register.

•Supported risk handling plans.

•Estimated cost and schedule impacts.

•Performed quantitative risk analysis (i.e., Monte Carlo).

•Created additional project documentation, PowerPoint presentations for senior level management, providing schedule analysis (critical path analysis, DCMA 14-point inspection).

DCI Solutions – Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD Jun 2018 – Nov 2018

Business Analyst Engineer

Directed and managed workflows, requirements, user stories, establishing work priorities, followed the Agile process, and developing resource utilization plans. Created requirements and user stories allowing developers capabilities to convert into digital applications in ServiceNow.

•Created direct channels of communication to software and application that developers utilized without managerial interjection to later present the “to be” process in an Agile environment.

•Determined and documented user requirements for business processes with user stories and abide by those requirements for future projects.

•Worked closely with the business users to document business processes. Focused on specific business user needs such as how data is to be summarized, used in day-to-day operations, and formatted in reports and dashboards.

•Implemented a comprehensive management plan for each project and held regular stakeholder meetings to update senior leadership on project progress.

•Identified business trends utilizing real data, compiled analysis reports that are delivered to developers and then follow-up on all results.

•Managed competing priorities across multiple efforts at varying stages within the development lifecycle keep up with fast-paced schedules and learn new technologies quickly and effectively. Independently performed a variety of complicated tasks and relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Worked independently and with team members to understand database structure, business process and the correlation between the two. Comfortable in a complex data environment and understanding of data structures. Conveyed work and results to a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders from both technical and non-technical backgrounds.

•Assisted in development and implementation of business plan and initiatives with in ServiceNow ITSM.

•Work with customers to understand business requirements and needs relayed to ServiceNow ITBM.

•Analyzed trends with KPIs, metrics and role-based dashboards for customer in support of ServiceNow PPM.

•Captured, assess, and mange demands from the business in one location for ServiceNow PPM.

•Managed entire project lifecycle across technology and business portfolios for ServiceNow PPM.

•Collaborated with ITIL Process Owners to ensure appropriate documentation and handling of exceptions.

•Implement ITSM COTS/MOTS web-based solutions utilizing the Agile methodology.

MILITARY EXPERIENCE

KBR-Wyle – Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD Jan 2017 – Nov 2017

Task Manager of Joint Cyber Insider Thread Project

Oversaw and coordinated the direction of four projects involving more than one program area; monitored and evaluated the progress of these projects in determining the effectiveness of the review process.

•Led inspections, evaluations, quality assurance reviews, with a high-level of visibility, priority, and rapid response, required by the Joint Program Office (JPO), the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), and the Army Test & Evaluation Command, (ATEC).

•Maintained contractual measures for primary contract technical support, subcontracts, and consultants to meet the needs of the organization.

• Directed a team of 30+ which included Cybersecurity Service Providers (CSSP), Cyber Engineers, Operation Research Service Analyst (ORSA), and Data Collectors.

Director of Test and Development Jun 2015 – Dec 2016

U.S. Army Test & Evaluation Command (ATEC)

Directed and managed accountability for awarding $20M in projects for the benefit of the warfighter on four different portfolios which included the following projects: Aviation Radio Frequency Survivability Validation (AVRFSV), NIPR Enhanced Common Operating Picture (Ne-COP), Joint Biological Radiological Mortuary Affairs Contaminated Remains Mitigation Site (JRMR), and the Joint Marksmen Distance Enhancement Targeting Methodology (J-MaDETM) project.

•Reported the progress of each project regarding internal or other types of evaluation or reviews as a technical subject matter expert or as a Deputy Director to ATEC's Director of Test & Evaluation.

•Developed, created, and implemented the Joint Test & Evaluation (JTE) mission, vision, and goals for future projects, and provided technical advice to JTE staff on policies, procedures, and practices.

•Monitored and coached assistant managers’ performance to meet the customer’s mission.

DeputyDirector May 2014 – Jun 2015

1ST Corps JBLM, WA

Supervised a team of three senior Business Analysts and five first line supervisors that provided training support for over 50,000 employees at a value of over $1B.

•Conducted JAD sessions and Requirements Gathering Sessions with stakeholders and subject matter experts for PACOM; Recognized and awarded for selecting and running effective and efficient programs and projects using best practices.

•Implemented master calendar to synchronize and highlight organizational training events for the commanding general resulting in 100% trained workforce.

•Organized and facilitated command inspection program; received four commendable ratings and highest marks in the three remaining areas examined by an outside organization.

Manager of Operations May 2013 – May 2014

189th Inf Bde, JBLM, WA

Led 63 employees and managed equipment valued over $7M and activities to provide operational support, maintained schedules within cost requirements, and ensured adequate resources were available to fulfill the contract and the organization’s objectives.

•Oversaw the management of Human Resources, Intelligent, Logistics, and operations departments.

•Maintained a 100 % Operational Readiness for a fleet of 65 HMMWVs; received commendable ratings on a command inspection led by an external entity.

•Served as Region’s Project Management Officer supporting and developing 5 Regional Project Managers.

Manager of Logistics Jan 2012 – May 2013

189th Inf Bde, JBLM, WA

Managed the logistics for a multi-component training support organization that provided training management, mentorship, and support to active and reserve component agencies.

•Conducted and established requirements and tasks achieving, restoring, and maintaining the operational capability for the life of fleet equipment.

•Oversaw a fleet of 150 HMMWVs maintaining a 97% Operational Readiness while driving over 100,000 miles; spending less than $ 30K on repair parts.

•Managed the logistic efforts of transporting over 500 employees and 200 pieces equipment across three state lines with zero loss to emergent and contingent DoD operations.

•Supervised computer resources which included the acquisition of facilities, hardware, software, documentation, manpower, and personnel needed to operate and support computer systems and the software within the brigade.

EDUCATION CERTIFICATIONS

Master of Science in Administration; Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration; University of Puerto Rico, Humacao, PR

Test and Evaluation Basic Course Contractive Officer Representative (COR)

Professional Project Management Certification Acquisition Level II

Professional Project Management Certification Management Level II

Authorizing Official (AO) Defense Travel System (DTS)

Agile Project Management Principles

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Software: Microsoft Office Suites Outlook SharePoint Visio Project

Publisher Linux SQL

Operating Systems: Mac Microsoft Windows

Languages: Bilingual in English/Spanish

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